Low-cost technologies making India medical tourism hub

According to health experts, the treatment provided in India is in par with any developed country in the world but at a much cheaper cost, thus giving medical tourism a competitive advantage over others.

There are also plans to imrove digitisation in the health industry which will also make the flow of foreign patients easier in the upcoming time. "With the integration of surplus talent, technology, tourist attraction, trade and tradition, India is a potential place to promote itself as a Premier Global Healthcare destination and enable streamlined medical services," said Sanjay Agarwala, Medical Director of Hinduja Hospital.  

Growth in the medical tourism and healthcare delivery industry will enhance employment opportunities besides benefitting pharma and medical equipment industries. The Indian medical tourism market is expected to reach $8 billion by 2020. Currently Bangladesh and Afghanistan dominate the Indian medical value travel with 34 per cent share.

"With the advent of online and e-commerce healthcare industry the legal formalities for the patients travelling will be made easy. A checklist along with relevant information will be available on the embassy website that includes the requirement of multiple visas for comfort of multiple entries, a column for high end treatment cases involving multiple legalities as in case of kidney and liver transplant to avoid clearance problems on arrival," said Ruchi Gupta, founder and Chief Executive Officer of 3hcare.in, a online platform promoting medical tourism.

One of the reason behind having more patients from Bangladesh, Maldives, Afghanistan, and Nigeria was the visa-on-arrival scheme, easing treatment for such patients and their stay in India for 30 days. "Removing certain visa restrictions has also allowed and attracted many medical tourists from the Gulf countries," said Gupta.